Koolatron Multi-Purpose Adapter 110AC to 12 Volts DC ( Model AC-15)
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Koolatron Multi-Purpose Adapter 110AC to 12 Volts DC ( Model AC-15)
Customer Review: On my 3rd one...
Summary: 2 Stars
As I go into three years using my Koolatron Compact Kooler, this is my third adapter.
I purchased my first cooler and adapter in April of 2008.
The cooler died and I purchased a second one in May 2009.
The second adapter was purchased in August 2009 and just died today.
I'm now on my third adapter as the second just blew while I was sitting here on the computer. I noticed the motor on the cooler stopped. When I looked over, the adapter was sparking and smoking. * sigh * It's a good thing I was here. But then, I never leave the cooler or adapter unattended for long, else I'll disconnect it.
Now, you may be wondering why I keep purchasing the same pieces of junk every year. Well, unlike most coolers, I run this one ALL YEAR ROUND. Rarely do I disconnect it. So, it's never a seasonal or an on-off-on-off thing. For something that runs about 340 days out of the year, it's not bad and I'm getting my money's worth.
So, if you get this adapter, just plan on blowing $40 every year. Some people on here say they've only gotten a few uses from it. Thank God, I've been fortunate. I feel that for $140 of decent cooling a year, it's not so bad. That's about .40 cents a day plus electricity. It's cheaper than a fridge. *shrug*
Customer Review: Good to have, but flawed.
Summary: 3 Stars
This item is a must have if planning a road trip where one of the Koolatron thermoelectric coolers (a great device to have, by the way) is being used, as it allows the cooler to be set up and allowed to cool off ahead of time and to be removed from the vehicle and powered from line current.
The downside is the 12 volt socket: it won't reliably hold the plug from the cooler. Plug the cooler into the power socket in the vehicle, and it holds perfectly. Plug it into the socket on this device, and plan on some fiddling, finagling, careful placement and possibly gaffer's tape to keep the cooler plugged in.
Once the plug was coaxed to stay connected, though, the little converter brick worked like a champ, only getting a little warm to the touch after running overnight on initial cooldown of the cooler.
For the next road trip, a short stop off at the local auto supply or electrical supply shop for a better socket might be in order, but otherwise, I'm glad I included this in my purchase.
Customer Review: Good Idea, But Undersized And Underpowered.
Summary: 1 Stars
Bought this adapter to work with the Koolatron P-20 cooler (/warmer), but unfortunately after 30 minutes of cooling indoors it began to emit a burned resistor smell. And when I picked it up, it was very hot to the touch. Not good signs, from my experience.
Comparing it to my AC-to-DC adapter from Igloo, it's much lighter and seems to be under-designed. You can't fool Mother Nature--increased weight usually means greater power handling capacity. In this case it just isn't there. Overheating isn't what I bought it for, either. In contrast, the Igloo adapter works endlessly with getting overly hot or giving off a smell. It weighs almost twice as much, too, which seems to be related.
Save your time and money and get something more capable. You'll be glad you did. Amazon has been breathtakingly cooperative in this matter, by the way, at least so far. Free return shipping and emailed labels are the way it should be done.
Customer Review: Don't waste your money
Summary: 1 Stars
We purchased this item to go with the 42 quart volume Koolatron 12v cooler. This converter was specified to go with the Koolatron cooler. I read the reviews which I always do at Amazon (one of the things we love about Amazon by the way...) and saw all the negative reviews about this item not working or overheating. We ordered it anyway because an equal number of people really seemed to like it. I thought to myself, we won't get a defective unit. We did! It kept overheating and shutting off after 1 hour. This is the converter that is supposed to go with a Koolatron unit. Ironically, the little 12v Wagan converter (also sold on Amazon) DID NOT SHUT off and worked fantastic. The Wagan is half the money as the Koolatron converter and has the exact same specifications - actually slightly higher if you compare the two. BUY the WAGAN! We also returned the Koolatron cooler by the way. It never got cold.Customer Review: Half the Cost for Same Product
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased a Koolatron cooler and noted that the manual stated that non-Koolatron AC/DC adaptors should not be used and would void the warranty. Rather than take the chance with my old adaptor from a different brand electric cooler, I decided to order a new one. Koolatron offers its adaptor at its web site and I just about ordered it, but then compared Amazon's offering. The identical adaptor at Amazon is half the price of the one through Koolatron. I've used it a number of times and it works fine. It also has about twice the wattage capability of my old adaptor. One caution: the cooler cools or heats depending on how the adaptor or DC plug is connected to the cooler cord. Tell everyone who might use the cooler about this. I failed to tell my wife, and she thought she was cooling a load of food, when, in fact, she was heating it. Big mess.